Commuter vehicles have been used for centuries and such vehicles have been powered by people (users and others), animals and various power-conversion machines (e.g., internal combustion engines). During the last century, machine driven vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles and scooters have been popular vehicles for commuting, in part due to their long operating range, relative affordability and satisfactory reliability. However, with rising fuel costs, increased traffic and growing concern over environmental side-effects of using carbon-based fuels, bicycles and other user-powered vehicles have become increasingly popular.
Bicycles and other user-powered vehicles are convenient for many reasons. For example, they are lightweight, small and easily stored (e.g., in a living room, office, garage or public storage rack). Tricycles and other pedal driven-cycles are also convenient for similar reasons.
Historically, however, such vehicles suffer several disadvantages. For example, many user-powered vehicles are designed to be lightweight to improve cruising speed, so many do not incorporate a body or any fairings. As a consequence, users are subjected to the elements (e.g., precipitation) while using these vehicles. Many potential users have thus been deterred from regularly using user-powered (sometimes also referred to as “human-powered” vehicles).